Quest of the Dark Knight
by Grendle1853
Summary: The Queen of Fables takes the Batman to a land of his own twisted fairy tale, where he must go on a quest to earn his freedom and the chance to return home.
1. Chapter 1

Bruce Wayne awoke on his back in the middle of Gotham Park, fully dressed in his Batman armor with a sword lying at his side. Used to such surprises in his odd life, he stands, picks up the sword and looks about him. Where there is supposed to be tall square buildings of a gothic art-deco design visible from the park, instead he sees a large black stone and twisted looking castle on one side and nothing on the other. A list of adversaries capable of such an act flows through his mind until he stops on one he thinks likely. "Queen of Fables," he says aloud.

As if she was summoned by his words, the regal villain appears next to him. "Very quick Sir. Wayne. Your mind works better than most knights I've come across. In fact you're more of a Jack I think, but you do so look good in the armor," she says.

The Batman calmly regards her and says, "I'm not a real knight, its just something I'm called."

"You are a guardian of a city and are part of a court of heroes, what else are people to call you?" the Queen asks.

"I think vigilante is more appropriate," he answers.

"No no, that term lacks luster and eloquence," the Queen says.

"Fine, I'm a knight," the hero says, tired of this line of conversation, "what do you want with me?"

The mythical creature saunters around the still hero, putting just a tad of a swing in her hips. "I want you to go on a quest for me of course. What else is a knight for?" she asks.

"What quest?" he asks, knowing that his best chance at the moment is to play his part in the Queen's game.

"I want you to travel through this enchanted...park and get to the dark castle. There you will find a warrior trapped in eternal combat with a fearsome beast. Your task is to break the stalemate and slay the creature, only then will you be released back to whence you came," she explains.

There was a time when Bruce Wayne didn't believe in the nonsense of magic or the supernatural. Sometimes he misses that ignorance. "And I should trust you?" he asks.

"I give you my word, which is something I dare not break," she answers.

The Batman slips his sword into his utility belt and says, "Alright, I'll play your game, but I'm warning you, if you don't send me back home after I will make you pay."

The Queen of Fables curtsies and says, "I expect nothing less Sir. Wayne," then she's gone in a gaudy flash.

The Batman cracks his neck and begins walking down the paved path of the enchanted park, which still has benches, trashcans, and light posts set regularly along it. Apparently the enchantment greatly enlarged the park, as the path that he's used to would have brought him back to the streets in a few minuets, but the one he is on now continues for several hours with no end in sight.

Eventually though the path comes to a river (also not part of the original topography of the park) and an ancient looking stone bridge going over it. The Dark Knight comes to a stop when he reaches it, and draws his sword. "I've read a book or two in my life so I know you, whatever you are, is waiting for me. So save us both some time and just come out," he commands.

A massive green monster climbs out of the water and stands on the bridge. The creature looks like Killer Croc, only three feet taller and covered in shaggy green hair. The thing opens its massive fanged maw and roars full out at the hero.

Batman holds up his sword at the monster and says, "Alright...I'll pay the toll."

In response Croctroll simply roars again and starts charging forward. The Batman holds up his sword and does the same. When the two meet in the middle, the Dark Knight ducks Crocktroll's massive claw and delivers long cut across its waist and another to its snout. In return it lunges forward and tries to catch him in with a lethal snap of its jaws. The dark hero barely manages to dodge the deadly fangs then stabs the monster in the eye with the point of his sword. The massive creature yelps in pain and spins away from him, managing to slap the Caped Crusader with its long reptilian tail, knocking him backwards and off the bridge.

The hero quickly jumps back to his feet and holds up his sword to find the Croctroll standing at the close end of the stone bridge, rubbing its wounded eye and growling at him. "Is there no alternative to this? What do you want?" Batman asks the creature.

"Stupid knight!" the Crocktroll barks back. "This bridge is mine! All who try to cross it are my meat! You will never reach the other side alive!"

The Batman lifts his sword with one hand and points it at the creature, while the other (which is hidden by his cape) takes something small out of his belt. "This is your last warning, stand aside," he tells the monster.

"Save your warnings! I will rip..." the Crocktroll from its cliched speech by the bright flash and deafening sound of the flash-bang grenade the Batman tosses at its face. His opponent now blinded, the Dark Knight darts forward and slices at both of the creatures legs, causing it to drop painfully to the ground.

The Batman then jumps over his enemy's crippled body and starts running full out for the other shore. Behind him the Crocktroll begins chasing after him on all fours, snapping its jaws ferociously as it does. Though the savage beast begins to close the distance, the Caped Crusader makes it to the other shore. After gaining a few dozen feet of ground he turns to see, as he thought, the Croctroll stopped at the end of the bridge, bellowing in rage.

Batman returns the sword to his belt and continues walking along the path. "What a promising start to the day."

_TBC. Tell me what you think guys._


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright guys, fresh from my BETA Hepburn, this is the next step in Batman's journey through this distorted fairytale!**

Batman walks on leaving the bridge, river, and even creepier version of Croc behind. Though the sun has not moved in the sky his cowl's computer tells him that three hours have passed before he comes to a fork in the road. Floating in the intersection is J'onn Jones the Martian Manhunter, though obviously like Croc this is just an odd copy of him. While floating two feet off the ground he sits cross-legged with his hand pressed together as if in prayer. He is dressed in a pair of baggy blue pants and he has a large red X tattooed across his chest. His head is shaped like J'onn's true Martian form, but it lacks a mouth, nose, or any other features apart from two red eyes.

"Hello," Batman greats the Martian like figure.

_Greetings Sir Wayne, _the floating one answers telepathically.

"You know me," he observes.

_I know many things Sir. Knight, _the green man explains, _such as your next question will be which of these paths will bring you to the Dark Castle?_

"That would be useful to know," Batman says, confirming the false Martian's claim.

_Either path would lead you to your destination, _he explains. A third arm sprouts from the false Martian's side and points to the path on Batman's right, which looks much like the wooded park he's been through thus far. _This path is a long one, but it is safe and if you took it you would face no dangers and not be harassed, _he explains. Then that arm stretches and bends like rubber over his head to point down the left path, showing a much denser and somewhat darker wood then the enchanted park he's seen so far. _Taking this road will get you to your goal much faster, that is if you are able to survive the challenges you'll find along the way._

The Dark Knight smirks at the floating Martian. "You already know which way I'm going to take, don't you?" he asks.

_As do you Sir Wayne, _he answers.

The Batman turns and begins down the left path. "Thank you for the directions," he says over his shoulder

.

_You welcome, and may luck go with you Batman, _the false Martian tells him as he walks out of sight.

…

The area he walks through quickly changes from the park like landscape into a true dark and ominous forest, the kind that one would read about in fairy-tales. While he's sure the Queen meant for this to be spooky the Batman found the foreboding sometimes twisted trees and overall dark ambiance to be relaxing, bringing the words of Robert Frost to mind.

His peaceful mood is broken by a very familiar voice. "Ah Grams! Why do ya got ta live all the way out here? I'll nevea find ya!"

_Oh here we go, _Batman thinks to himself. Pretty soon he comes up to someone wearing a red riding hood style cloak...with two black diamonds on the back. "Hello Harley," he addresses her.

"EEEK!" she shouts, whipping around. Who stands before him is Harley Quinn, blond pigtails and all, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood. Her outfit looks like a Halloween costume from Spencer's, but her red skirt has little black diamonds dancing across it echoing her villain costume. "Whats up Knights, ya scared me haf ta death!"

"Sorry," he tells her. "The woods may be dangerous, if you wish I could escort you to your grandmother's house."

Little Red Riding Quinn's eyes brighten up and she begins hopping in place. "Reeeealy? That'll be super Mr. K!" she shouts, grabbing his hand and skipping off, dragging Batman along behind her.

Despite her recently lamenting about never finding it she soon leads the Dark Knight to a rather homey looking cabin nestled in the woods. Once there Harley skips up to the door, daintily knocks on it, then shouts at the top of her lungs, "GRAMS!"

A minute later the door opens and the Joker (who is dressed in drag) greets them. His grandma disguise literally consists of putting his green hair up in a bun, a pair of wire rim glasses, and a costume that resembles the Granny from Looney Toons. "Oh my dear," the Joker says in his worst little old lady voice, "it is so wonderful to see you! Who is your scary friend?"

"Oh thats Mr. K, he's escorted me here!" Harley answers. "You know Grams you looks different...did ya get a makeover?"

"Yes and I'll tell you all about it my dear," Grandma Joker tells her, "but first you'll have to say goodbye to your friend and come inside."

"Okaie Doakie! Bye Mr. K!" Harley shouts before they both dart inside and slam the door.

The Batman sighs, draws his sword, and silently slips into the forest. Like a shadow he makes his way around the cabin until he reaches a window, there he crouches down in the darkness and waits for the inevitable.

"Grams that was one heck of a makeover," she says to her 'grandmother', "like your eyes are really red."

"The better to see you with my dear," Grandma Joker answers.

"And your hair, its really green," she says.

"The better to hear you with my dear," he explains.

"Um...o-kay?" Harley says, confused. "But what is the weirdest is your teeth, they are bright yellow. Didn't you used to wear dentures?"

In a split second the Grandma Joker goes through a transformation so shocking it even surprises Batman, who was expecting it. His costume is ripped off, his hands are now sharp claws, his face stretches out to a wolfish snout with sharp yellow teeth, and he has a mane of green hair going down his back to a long tail. "THE BETTER TO EAT YOU WITH IDIOT!"

Before the monster can pounce on the terrified girl, the Batman leaps through the glass and lands a kick on the Big Bad Joker, knocking him across the room. "That aint my Grams!" Little Red Riding Quinn shouts.

"No kidding," the Dark Knight says, standing between her and the werewolf/Joker, braced for an assault.

The clownish lycanthrope doesn't make him wait long, as it soon leaps back up and comes at the hero all swinging claws and snapping jaws. The Batman fends it off rather well for a bit, using his blade to block and parry the beast's attacks, but eventually the werewolf gets in a surprise pounce, knocking the hero to the ground and landing on top of him. Feeling victory and dinner within its grasps, the Big Bad Joker can't help but let out a hyena like bout of manic laughter.

Before the monster can clamp its jaws on the Batman's throat it gets nailed in the side of its head by a big wooden mallet, knocking it off its prey. "No one eats my friends!" Harley shouts, pointing the giant mallet at him.

The albino wolf monster snarls in rage then leaps at the girl. In move that can only be described as heroic, the Dark Knight swings his sword in an upward slash, hitting the monster in the belly mid flight and cutting it in half.

The monster falls to the ground, but manages to chuckle insanely for a bit before it finally falls silent. "That was oddly satisfying," Batman says, cleaning off his blade.

"Wow that was freaky!" Red Riding Quinn says. A second later a devious smile comes across her face. "You know Mr. K, the way you saved me was offtly hot. Is there any way I can thank you?" She turns but sees nothing but air where the Batman was standing. She quickly looks around but can see no sign of the hero. "HEY!"

_TBC. Tell me what you think guys._


End file.
